100 Years Ago in Suffield

Selected from the pages of the Windsor Locks Journal and lightly annotated by Town Historian Lester Smith.

February 7

[Several recent letters received by the parents of Corporal John Eagleson, a forward observer, include WWI combat descriptions too graphic for these pages. He concludes with the following comments:] “I saw the tanks crawling up in the early dawn and company after company of infantry go forward over the top and disappear over the hills. I am mighty glad that little game is over. The next thing I want to see going over the top is the maple syrup on a plate of flapjacks at 6:30 a.m. at home. Yes, of course, the Rhine is grand but the sight of the Connecticut valley, where the fragrant tobacco grows, would be much grander to me. If they would only take us home and turn us loose now I’d be one happy boy.”

There have been a number of sales of tobacco reported in this place during the past week. The prices have not been as good as the early sales, but seem to be better than were offered a month ago.

A fire in the greenhouse of Earl Spaulding last Sunday night did considerable damage to the boiler room and also caused the loss of several hundred heads of lettuce that were about ready for market.

February 14

There was a large attendance at the union service at the Second Baptist church last Sunday morning in honor of Roosevelt Sunday. [Theodore Roosevelt died on January 6, 1919.] Special music was rendered by the choir. Geo. B. Chandler of Rocky Hill, chairman of the state compensation commission, gave a pleasing address on “Roosevelt, the Representative American.”

In the casualty list this morning, among those severely wounded is the name of Private Jan S. Kzizanowski of this town. He was a member of Co. F. of the 102d Infantry.

February 21

A few cold days this week have helped along the ice crop and most of the dealers and farmers have finished the work of filling the houses. The ice has been of a good quality, but thinner than usual, twelve inches being the thickest cut and much of it running below that.

The Corbin-Reid farm property was sold at auction Monday and was bid in by Samuel H. Reid for $15,000. The place was sold by M. S. Harris, a committee of the superior court, to settle differences in the division of the property between Mr. Reid and his sister, Mrs. Corbin. The matter was taken to the superior court and both parties agreed to a sale.

Mr. and Mrs. P. J. Lutz have returned from a ten-day trip to New York City.

The masquerade ball given by the girls of the R. M. C. club of West Suffield was held last Friday evening at Academy hall with a large attendance. The girls took in over $60, of which $25 will be turned over to the club treasurer to be used in the work of the club. The first prizes were awarded to Miss Hazel O’Malley of West Suffield, who was dressed as a gypsy, and Tony Zacks as a dude. The prizes for the most comically dressed persons were awarded to William Cordewella of Windsor Locks, who was dressed as a colored lady, and George Goddard of Thompsonville, who was dressed as an Irishman.

George Adams has gone to Indiana to buy a carload of horses.

February 28

A mass meeting of the tobacco growers of Suffield and vicinity was held Monday evening in Union hall, with about seventy-five growers present. The meeting was called to order by George Peckham of this place, who explained to those present the object of the meeting, which was to advertise Connecticut grown tobacco, as presented by the New England Tobacco Growers Association.

W. E. Ackley of East Hartford, secretary of the New England Tobacco Growers Association, gave a talk to the growers. He stated . . . “In Connecticut alone, there are 24,000 acres grown, of which 3,280 is shade grown, while in Suffield alone there are there are over 4,000 acres, of this 652 is shade grown, and if figured at 35 cents a pound, which is a low figure, would net the farmers of Suffield $1,396,500.”

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